(Closed) Anyone else concerned about traveling in light of the Ebola outbreak?

We’ve had our destination wedding at Sandals Royal Caribbean planned for 2 years now. However, I’m getting more and more concerned about traveling, in light of this Ebola outbreak. The CDC is sticking to their story that Ebola is only spread through body fluids, yet they’re reaching out to people who may have flown on the same plane as that nurse in Texas? And a second healthcare worker has now tested positive…what are the chances that they both contaminated themselves?

I’m starting to feel panicky, because our payment in full is due on the 20th. If we need to cancel, we need to do it now. We’re taking multiple flights to get there, three actually, in Texas. I feel like a crazy person for being so worried, but this seems to get worse and worse every day, and who knows if a case will pop up in Jamaica?

Mr. LK has to travel for work a few times in the coming months. He already hates to fly, and I am pretty sure ebola on a plane has sealed the deal that he will be requesting permission to drive or take the train instead of fly. Yes, it will take 13-15 hours each way per trip, but it will help his nerves immensely to avoid getting on an airplane.

“Sticking to their story” ???? It’s fact. I think America is being overly cautious by checking on all the passengers. Plus, if they used the bathroom, people didn’t wash their hands, etc., there’s still a specific amount of time the disease is transferable through body fluids that may have ended up on the toilet seat and on your hands. I think it’s a few hours.

Bring hand sanitizer, and don’t catch anyone’s sneeze with your mouth. There have been… what? Two confirmed cases in the US? One person already recovered. How many people fly every day?

Atalanta: You know what? You are absolutely correct that “Total *facepalm*” connotes absolutely no judgement whatsoever. How silly of me. Your implications clearly show that there’s a lot you do not know about the vulnerabilities of large gatherings, our current security systems, and our health system. Enjoy your bliss. It’s a lot happier over there.

MadamePants: I personally would not dream of canceling your wedding in the Caribbean. The outbreak is in 3 West African countries. The people who have been infected in the US are health workers who have had close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected patient.

Ebola is scary, but it’s really not a threat to the vast majority of us living anywhere outside of those 3 affected countries. Now, for the poor people living in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea — it’s a tragedy. But we don’t need to go around cancelling plans.

The odds of catching Ebola are so small. If you’re going to be a worry wort, there are many other things to be worried about. Your plane probably has a better chance of just falling out of the sky than you have of catching Ebola.

Nope not concered. Dallas was VERY unprepared for the patient, and didn’t take the proper protocols with hazardous material, which nurses work with daily. Even if you’re on a plane with someone with ebola, unless your gonna be playing in their pee, spit, poop, or blood, you’ll be fine. it’s not airborne. The Texas patient was with his family for 4 days after being sent home from the hospital after exhibiting symptoms and none of the them got ebola. Don’t buy into the media fearmongering.

One of the reasons that ebola has spread so quickly in the nations where it is prominent is the lack of access to sanitation. In the US, Canada, UK, Australia, etc—the major developed nations— there is easy access to clean running water, and many many ways to clean your hands and face when you don’t have access to running water. In other words, wash your hands frequently and you are probably not going to get ebola unless you are a health care worker or first responder directly in contact with an infected person. If you are worried about getting ebola on a plane, just take some hand sanitizer and you will be just fine.

Personally I am more worried about having a screaming baby on my flight, or a toddler kicking my seat all across the country, than I ever could be about ebola.